Back to BooksSimple English

Psalms

A collection of songs and prayers expressing a wide range of emotions and thoughts on faith.

Chapter 22

Back to Chapters

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

*My God, my God, why did you leave me? Why aren't you close to helping me and listening to my loud cries?

2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

*Oh God, I call out during the day, but you don't hear; and at night, I keep talking and don't stop.

3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

*But you are holy, one who lives among the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

*Our ancestors believed in you; they trusted and you saved them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

*They called out to you and were saved. They believed in you and didn't feel confused.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

*But I am like a tiny bug, not a person; looked down upon by others and disliked by many.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

*Everyone who sees me makes fun of me. They stick out their lips and shake their heads, laughing and saying,

8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

*He believed in God to save him: let God save him, since he enjoyed being with him.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

*But you are the one who took me from my mom's belly; you gave me hope while I was drinking milk from my mom's breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

*I was dependent on you right from the start: you have been my God even before I was born.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

*Don't be too far away; I need your help because problems are close and no one else can assist.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

*Many powerful bulls surrounded me: strong bulls from Bashan came all around me.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

*They stared at me with their mouths wide open, like a hungry and loud roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

*I spill out like water, and my bones feel disconnected; my heart feels soft, melting inside my body.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

*My strength has run out, like broken pottery; my tongue sticks to my mouth; and you have put me in the dirt where people die.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

*Dogs surrounded me, and the group of bad people closed in on me. They stabbed my hands and feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

*I can say to all my bones: they watch and observe me closely.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

*They divided my clothes among them and threw dice for my clothing.

19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

*But don't be too far away from me, God: My strength, come quickly to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

*Save my life from the knife; my dear one from the grip of the dangerous animal.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

*Save me from the danger: because you have listened to me among the dangerous creatures with horns.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

*I'll tell others about your name. In front of everyone, I'll praise you.

23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

*If you respect God, praise him. If you're from Jacob's family, honor him. And if you're from Israel's family, fear him too.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

*He didn't dislike or reject the suffering of the oppressed. He didn't ignore them either. When they called out to him, he listened.

25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

*I will give you credit in front of many people. I will keep my promises to those who respect Him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

*The gentle will have enough to eat and feel full. They will thank the Lord by looking for Him. Your loving heart will last forever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

*Every place on Earth will recall and follow the LORD, and all families of people will bow down to honor Him.

28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

*The kingdom belongs to the LORD, and he rules over all the nations.

29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

*Everyone who is well-off on Earth will feast and worship; everyone who returns to the ground will bow before him; and no one can prolong their own life.

30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

*A seed will help him; God will count it as a gift for many years.

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

*They will arrive and tell how just he is to a new generation, saying he did all this.

read summary

Back to Chapters

Back to Books

* work in progress, there will be mistakes